Billecart-Salmon : Le Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008 by Billecart-Salmon

Tasting

Appearance

Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008 reveals a sublime yellow-gold colour, accented by intense coppery highlights. Its effervescence is graceful, carried by a fine bead that the patina of meticulously measured ageing gently softens.

Nose

The nose is noble and refined, driven by an intensity of candied citrus fruits – orange, lemon, grapefruit – combined with nuances of dark chocolate. Notes of toffee, roasted hazelnuts and smoke extend this aromatic expression towards hints of cigar box.

Palate

The attack is creamy and dense, carried by the brightness of pink grapefruit, which signals great power from the mid-palate onwards. The wine then evolves towards a deeper, more complex register, blending violet, breadcrumb, dark chocolate, blond tobacco and liquorice. The immensely long, very saline finish lingers on notes of cigar leaf.

Food and Wine Pairings

Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008 will pair ideally with Bresse poultry with sage, or a lobster and grapefruit tartare. More broadly, this Champagne will find a fine echo in refined poultry dishes with cream sauce or in shellfish preparations enhanced with citrus notes.

Serving and Cellaring

Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. Available in bottle and magnum, it has an ageing potential of more than 10 years.

Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008, the refinement and richness of a rare and singular Blanc de Noirs

The Estate

Founded in 1818 in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, in the Marne Valley, the House of Billecart-Salmon is today led by Mathieu Roland-Billecart, representing the seventh generation of the family. An independent brand still owned by the descendants of its founders, it cultivates around one hundred hectares and sources from approximately 300 hectares spread across some forty crus. Renowned for its oenological precision and its commitment to sustainable viticulture, the House distinguishes itself through exceptional single-plot cuvées such as Clos Saint-Hilaire.

The Vineyard

Clos Saint-Hilaire comes from a single one-hectare walled plot in one continuous block, located in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Its old Pinot Noir vines, planted in 1964, benefit from a complete on-site winemaking facility, allowing the entire production process to be followed as closely as possible to this Champagne terroir.

Vinification and Ageing

Clos Saint-Hilaire 2008 is entirely vinified in barrels, in keeping with the House's philosophy that wood brings out the best in wines. It then benefits from 194 months of maturation on the lees in the cellar, before being dosed at 2.5 g/l.

Grape Variety

This Blanc de Noirs is crafted from 100% Pinot Noir.